I started weightlifting at the end of this past summer, both in preparation for my first winter in 6 years – knowing I would need to move my workouts indoors now that I no longer live in sunny San Diego – and also to switch it up from my usual routine. As someone who has been practicing yoga for over 7 years and teaching it for more than 2 years, I NEVER thought I would be obsessed with weightlifting. I honestly hated the idea of even going to a gym – now I can’t imagine NOT going! In addition, I found that over the last year, I was getting injured more and more in yoga classes from overdoing it and overstretching muscles, and decided that I really needed to build up some muscular strength if I wanted to avoid getting injured constantly.
I have to admit though, walking into the gym the first time was a bit daunting. Sure, I worked out halfheartedly for a year or two in college at the gym on campus – and had been to the gym a handful of times since then with friends who were more into strength training – but I never had my own routine or anything. I knew going into this weightlifting “journey” that I wanted to go big: lift heavy weights, be consistent, and get really strong.
Obviously, I was and am hoping that my hard work will pay off in terms of seeing an outwardly physical change in my body, but what keeps me motivated and consistent is how much I enjoy working out, not just the “results”. It is very easy to get discouraged or lose motivation if you are only working out for the outcome, because results often take a very long time to see! Personally, I have barely noticed any changes yet and am very okay with that because I know I am getting more out of weight lifting than a “snatched” body anyway.
So now that I have shared what motivated me to start weightlifting, you are probably wondering when I am going to tell you how to start your own routine. Everyone will find their own way, but here are some suggestions that may help you get started:
- WORK WITH A PERSONAL TRAINER
- Most gyms offer a free introductory session with a personal trainer (which I’m pretty sure is just to get you to sign up for sessions aka give them money, but you can opt out after the first session)
- After two sessions (I got a follow up one for free), I had a good enough idea of what to do to create my own little routine for a couple months until I needed to “level up” to a new routine
- ASK QUESTIONS
- When I went in for my free session, I had a pretty good idea of where I was starting and what I wanted to achieve, so I asked as many questions as possible and got as much out of the session as I could
- I follow a few girls on Instagram that post about weightlifting, so I have reached out to them to ask questions and have found them to be super helpful! Don’t be afraid to ask strangers: they are usually willing and happy to help you on your journey!!
- DO SOME RESEARCH
- Watch videos on YouTube and find exercises on Pinterest/Google to get ideas for different ways to work out a specific part of your body, or just to give you more ideas if you hit a rut in your routine
- My only advice for this is to BE CAREFUL if you are trying something new, and don’t be afraid to ask a trainer for a quick “spot” when you’re at the gym
- CHALLENGE YOURSELF
- When you start getting comfortable with the movements and establish proper form, make sure you increase the weights gradually and often so your muscles don’t plateau
- If you feel like you can breeze through a set of 12 reps, it is time to add more weight
- A good general rule of thumb is to add 5 lbs per week for your arms and 10 lbs per week for your legs (per exercise). I usually start by adding weights on my last set, then once I can do 2-3 out of 3 sets at that weight, I level up again
- Don’t leave anything behind: why bother working out if you are not going to push past your comfort zone? You should feel tired at the end of your workout, but not totally depleted. If you feel like you could run a marathon after working out, you probably could have challenged yourself a little more. If you feel like you need a stretcher and an IV drip, go drink some water and chill TF out next time!
- WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN
- This has been the single most helpful and useful thing I have done since I started weightlifting! It is the ONLY way I have been able to keep track of my progress with weights. I would never be able to remember everything in my head!
- I just write everything down in the notes section of my phone. It is super simple and allows you to input as much detail as you need for each workout, exercise, rep, set and weight amount
- BREAK IT UP
- This is more of a preference, but one that most people follow: break up your workouts by area of body
- For instance, I lift weights 3-4x a week, so one day I do my “leg” routine, the next day is my “glutes” routine, and the last day is “arms”. I typically do some form of ab exercises every time I work out
- STRETCH IT OUT
- As a yogi, you should have seen this one coming from me. Always stretch after your workout!! If your gym has foam rollers, use those too!!
- REST, REST, REST
- I almost always take 1-2 rest days in between each workout
- This is CRUCIAL for me, because it gives me time to physically and mentally reset in between so I don’t burn out, injure myself, or get bored of the gym
- Do not go overboard: overworking your muscles is bad for you and can lead to injuries, not to mention the fact that if your muscles don’t have time to repair they are not gonna get bigger and stronger!
- On a related note, even before I started weight lifting, I was always a big fan of getting massages, acupuncture, and other self-care sessions, but now I think it is even more essential. I consider this active rest and repair, and definitely think it is just as important as the weight lifting part of your routine!
- DRINK WATER AND EAT TONS OF PROTEIN
- This is pretty basic and self explanatory, but I really need to emphasize how important these two things are!
- Do not starve yourself or cut calories/macros: your body needs fuel to repair muscles, and clean protein is the best thing for them. Try to avoid empty-calorie protein bars and shakes, and opt instead for real food that contains a lot of protein
- If you are vegan, it is even more important to really rev up your diet to make sure you are getting enough protein! There are tons of vegan protein sources, but you often have to consume more quantity/calories of food to get the same amount of protein as meat sources, so just be mindful and as always eat healthy!
- DON’T BE AFRAID
- Whatever you do, just remember why you are starting this routine. Regardless of the reason, it should be for YOU and no one else
- Everyone has to start somewhere, so don’t be ashamed if you know nothing and can barely lift any weights at first
- I PROMISE that you will not be embarrassed and no one will look at you weird – just walk in there like you own it and no one will bat an eye!
I hope this was a helpful guide for starting your weightlifting journey, as I know it can be quite overwhelming at first. If you have any other questions, leave a comment below!
